


long story short

by annaregina



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Epistolary, F/M, Modern Royalty, Prince Ben - Freeform, Singer Rey (Star Wars), based on long story short, evermore flash fic, half text fic half story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-20
Updated: 2020-12-20
Packaged: 2021-03-10 16:53:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28060461
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/annaregina/pseuds/annaregina
Summary: "long story short, it was the wrong guynow i'm all about you, babe"once upon a time, there was a handsome prince and a girl with a beautiful voice. she got hurt, she fell down, but she got up again. boy meets girl, you know the rest. long story short, he feels like home.
Relationships: Armitage Hux/Rose Tico, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 23
Kudos: 22
Collections: Reylo Evermore Flash Fic





	1. rey nobody

"This is ridiculous," Rey huffed, shutting the laptop far harder than she needed to, determined to erase all the website headlines from her brain.

Rose looked up from her spot sprawled on the sofa. "What is?"

"I have a new album out and all these wankers can do is discuss Poe!"

Rey's best friend pulled a face, her nose scrunched up in disbelief. "Seriously? Unfortunately I wish I was more surprised, honestly. Tabloids."

"Tabloids," Rey agreed darkly, flopping back against the armchair dramatically and rubbing her temples. "I thought maybe, just _maybe_ , it wouldn't happen this time."

It was an age old problem, and certainly not one confined to Rey: female singer has more than one boyfriend and suddenly she's a player; male celebrity that dates - and then dumps - her are somehow exempt from the scandal by the sheer good fortune of having a penis. Rey would be the first person to admit she's had more boyfriends than the average - commitment and abandonment issues along with the nature of Hollywood romance does that to you - but the relentless criticisms, interrogations and analysis of every one of her relationships was slowly and surely wearing her out.

She'd been in the music industry for years now, long enough that her string of relationships was a running joke she couldn't escape from. Fans were always the first to come to her defence, god bless them, but nothing and no one could stop the tide of clickbait articles every time she was photographed with another guy.

It didn't matter if the dude had been the dick, if _he'd_ ended things rather than her, if it was just a case of right person wrong time, no matter the scenario it was her that took the brunt of the fallout. 

Poe was supposed to have been different. An actor, he knew the way Hollywood and fame worked but it never seemed to bother him the same way it could bother Rey: he was effortlessly charming, sidesplittingly funny, handsome as all fuck and really truly didn't care about her reputation. And yet.

Rey blinked, back in the present as she felt Rose's warm eyes on her. "I'm being silly, it's fine," she promised, shrugging. "The album will speak for itself in the end, it always does. The stories come and go but the music stays."

Rose grinned. "How very motivational."

Rey's dimples showed as she flashed Rose a grateful grin in return. "I do my best, Rosie."

"Poe never deserved you anyway," Rose continued brightly, jumping up to put the kettle on again.

"I ended things with _him_ , Rose," Rey snorted, rolling her eyes. "I just didn't like him enough."

"I know," Rose sniffed, flicking the switch and pulling mugs out of her cupboard haphazardly in a way that would make her husband adorably frustrated when he got in later. Rose always said that different mugs had different moods and the tea wouldn't taste right if it was in the wrong mug. Rey had no opinions either way but always let Rose choose them. "But even if he isn't _The One_ , you'll find him soon enough, I can feel it."

"Now who's being motivational," Rey teased. "It's easy for you to say when you're all loved up with Armie."

Rose was happily married to Armitage Hux - ex military and now part of the Royal Family's security team - and had been seeing him for the whole length of her and Rey's friendship. Not that it was hard to see why, Rey admitted, Rose was very easy to love.

"I can feel the cogs turning in your head, so stop it immediately," Rose called from where she stood with her back to Rey, on her tiptoes reaching for one of the mugs right at the back. "You're perfect just the way you are! And tonight we are _celebrating_ the _awesome_ new album you just released all about saying fuck off to the haters and to that Buzzfeed Boyfriend quiz!"

"I'll drink to that!" a voice from the door called, as Armitage shut the door behind him and swept in to give Rose a kiss on the top of her head. "Congrats Rey!"

"Thanks, Hux," she chuckled, watching the ginger man easily pick out the mug Rose wanted from the back of the shelf and hand it down to his tiny wife. 

"Now we're gonna drink tea, then switch to crappy wine, and then we're singing Look What You Made Me Do at the top of our lungs," Rose said, putting her hands on her hips and shimmying slightly. "No arguments!"

* * *

"I think I'm done being angry," Rey slurred into her mostly empty glass of wine.

"Thas good," Rose mumbled in reply, nodding slowly.

They were three bottles of wine, one pizza (courtesy of Hux) and two sing-throughs of the album in and they were very drunk.

"No, for _real_ ," Rey said emphatically, pulling herself to sit upright on the floor, her back on the sofa arm. "Like, I don't like it, you know?"

Rose nodded again, watching Rey with wide eyes.

"Maybe I should finally do the - the therapy thing," Rey admitted slowly, her tongue fuzzy around the words. "Take a break."

"You deserve a break," Rose agreed, taking another gulp of wine and then grimacing - it really _was_ crappy wine. Expensive wine just didn't work for these kinds of evenings.

"From music, from social media, from _boys_ , most of all," Rey continued, warming to her topic. "Reputation is done, maybe I can just... vanish for a bit."

"Like... mysteriously?"

"Yessss," Rey giggled, "Into the night. Never to be seen again."

"I'd miss you," Rose pouted. "So much."

Rey scoffed. "I'd still see you, of course, but just not anyone else."

It was something that had been in the back of her head ever since she started writing reputation. The album was supposed to signify how little she cared about her image, but it had only highlighted just how far away that was from the truth. She really, really cared. Cared too much, if she was being honest. The break up with Poe had hurt, the bitterness of years of headlines and jabs at her love life and prying into her depressing history had hurt, and she was tired.

She loved the album - it was her best work so far - and she loved her job, but she also wanted to love herself.

Rose waved a hand in front of her face with a giggle. "Earth to Rey? Are you in there?"

"Just thinking," she said quietly. "I really think I might, you know? Finally get my head on straight."

Rose's lighthearted smile morphed into something deeper. "That sounds good, Rey, really good." She'd been trying to get her to therapy for years, practically had an alphabetical list of the reasons it would benefit her, but Rey had always insisted she could figure it out on her own, that writing and singing was her therapy.

"If I'm going to do it, it should be now, you know?" Rey continued. "Focus on me and all that optimistic shit."

Rose scooted over and leaned her head on Rey's shoulder, placing her empty wine glass on the coffee table and wrapping her arms around her friend. "Focus on you," she agreed firmly, squeezing her tight. "You deserve that."

"I deserve that," Rey echoed back and, for the first time, she thought she believed it.


	2. his royal highness, prince benjamin

"Hello darling, have you heard that we're dating now?"

Ben looked up from his phone as he headed into the sitting room and shut the door behind him. He turned the phone screen to face Kaydel, his face splitting into a grin. "I have. How scandalous of us."

Kaydel laughed and kicked off her heels before tucking her feet under herself on the plush chaise longue. "Gosh, these Twitter accounts do love to squeeze gossip from the most innocuous photographs, don't they?"

"One day you'll be seen making out with Jannah and they'll realise you couldn't possibly be in love with me, but until then the rumour mill won't stop," Ben chuckled, dropping into the armchair opposite her and putting his phone face down on the small side table. "I've been gone for forty eight hours and I already wish I was back home."

"You mean you're _not_ looking forward to weeks of speeches, awkward handshakes and remembering fancy names?" Kaydel pouted. "I even agreed to come with you to keep you company, you silly man. We're going to have fun!"

"It's not that _we_ won't have fun. I'm just already dreading all the pressure from Mother and Father when they think I've learned how to be a senior royal," Ben huffed, smoothing his suit jacket down and glancing around the luscious hotel room.

Kaydel screwed her face up and flipped her blonde hair over her shoulder, the perfectly done waves catching the light. "They know your opinions. And we both know you won't have to do anything more for a while. Lighten up, Benjy."

The corner of his mouth quirked. "I'm not sure that's suitable for a dashing prince of the realm."

"Except with me you aren't Benjamin, Prince of Wales and Overlord of the Peasants, you're Ben my irritatingly tall cousin," she fired back, grinning. "So delete Twitter from your phone, or delete your burner accoun, whatever it is you're torturing yourself by doing, and have a drink with me before we have to go to another stuffy dinner."

"Yes ma'am," Ben smirked, rolling his eyes.

* * *

"I think the media have finally figured out Kaydel is your cousin, kid," Han chuckled, nudging his son's side.

Ben looked down at his father and smiled tightly. "I think I'm inclined to agree."

The journalists hadn't gone crazy when they'd arrived together which they certainly would have done if the romance rumours were still in full swing. He couldn't say he minded too much even if it meant his social life would be under scrutiny again. The reprieve had been nice while it lasted, anyway.

"Ah, it was bound to happen," Han grinned. "Who have you got your eye on then?"

"No one, Dad," Ben snorted, "You know I'm not thinking about that right now."

Han looked out across the room with his usual easy smile on his face. "Sure, kid, don't let your mother hear that."

Ben and Han looked across at where Leia was chatting animatedly with Kaydel and several other relatives, hands gesturing emphatically.

"I'm no fool," Ben smirked, watching the camera flash from the corner of his eye, capturing the moment. 

"And that's all we could ask for," Han chuckled, patting Ben on his broad shoulder. "Now, let's go and mingle."


	3. where's that girl?

**SIX MONTHS LATER**

"Hey babe, how are you doing?" Rose said, twirling her car keys around her finger as she leaned against the doorway, waiting for Hux to emerge.

"Doing okay, planning my return to society fairly soon," Rey said brightly down the line. "Can't figure out whether to make it big and bold, or just casually appear in London and pretend I never vanished, you know?"

Rose laughed, "I get you. Armie says the Royals have been doing much the same - the Prince has been getting very frustrated about the tabloids too, he's been keeping quiet."

"Oh no, will Prince Ben marry Henriette de Tottingham Bentley or Lady Victoria Poshington?" Rey said, putting on a warbling voice. Rose could hear her smile.

"I quite agree, but Armie says he's a decent bloke, you know? Anyway, if you figure out how you want to make your entrance, let me know. There's this royal do coming up that Armie will be working for and I really don't fancy making small talk by myself all evening and wishing I was slimmer. I could get a plus one I'm sure?"

"I'll think about it. If I release Folklore, it'd have to be right before," Rey hummed.

Rose knew all about the secret album, of course. Rey had secreted herself away and written non stop and Rose was certain this album was going to be something really special. She certainly thought it was anyway. "That could work well. A fairy tale album, combined with your emerging in the company of a prince? Just think!"

Rey laughed. "Emerging in the same room as a Prince, you mean? That's hardly in the company of him."

Rose giggled and raised her eyebrows as she saw her husband appear at the end of the corridor having finished his work for the day. "Call it artistic license, yeah?"

"That is not how that works, Rose, and you know it!"

"Sure it isn't but a girl can pretend!" Rose laughed.

"And anyway, I haven't even officially agreed to go to this, you know? It's a big decision, and maybe I should lie low a little longer? I don't kn-"

"Don't overthink it! Anyway got to go, Armie is here, love you lots let me know mwah mwah!"

Rose hung up hastily and jumped up to kiss Armitage who laughed and spun her around.

"What are you planning now, sweetheart?"

Rose just smirked and shrugged. "Nothing you need to worry about. Let's go home!"

* * *

When Rose's phone buzzed later that evening with Rey's name flashing on the screen, Rose picked up immediately.

"Hey, babe, what's up?"

Rey laughed. "Fuck it, I'm in. Release date is set. What day is this ball?"

Rose screeched.

* * *

"Bennie, I've told you before, sweetheart, nice girls won't always just fall into your lap, you've got to go and talk to them," Leia explained, her arms hooked through her son's on one side and her husband's on the other. "Tonight is the perfect chance! So many pretty young ladies!"

"Mum," Ben groaned, looking over her head to his father in all his royal regalia, sniggering at his son's predicament. "I'm not looking for a girlfriend right now."

"That's what I said and then I met your father and I bullied him into seeing me," Leia continued, unperturbed, her crown catching the light as they descended the steps to greet their guests, all eyes on the three of them.

"She really did," Han agreed, but his comment only earned him a mild jab to the ribs and a smirk from his wife.

"Listen, Mum, it's not that I don't appreciate the advice but can we maybe keep the love life lessons private and not do it in front of half the world's media and our entire extended family, staff and guests?" Ben tried, sliding his arm free of Leia's and leaving her in his father's capable hands. "I will do my best to speak to people, I promise."

Leia looked smug at that and nodded, before turning to Han and leading the way through the milling crowds that parted for her like the Red Sea. 

Ben resisted the urge to shove his hands in his pockets and turned to Hux who was hovering behind him. The ever present Head of Security gave him a sympathetic grin and shrugged as if to say 'mothers, eh?'. Ben snorted.

"Your wife made it tonight, didn't she? I haven't seen her in a while," Ben said quietly, the man falling into step next to him as Ben began to make his way towards the sea of people he was supposed to make small talk with before the dinner.

"She did," Hux smiled, his eyes lighting up at the mention of Rose. "And she bought her friend actually, remember we cleared it with your parents?"

"Ah, of course, the singer, right?" Ben said, raising one dark eyebrow. 

Hux scoffed. "Don't pretend you don't know her, Your Highness. Rey isn't exactly a small name, and I _know_ I've seen reputation on your Spotify before now."

"It's got some good songs, alright," Ben muttered under his breath, straightening his tie. He wished Kaydel was here and not somewhere across the room chatting animatedly with some duke or another they were probably distantly related to. 

"Do you want me to introduce you? _Obviously_ under the pretence of catching up with my wife."

Ben considered glowering but Hux's idea wasn't entirely unpleasant. His wife and her friend had to be better company than anyone else in the room. "You know what? Sure." Hux laughed and guided the prince over to the bright red gown of Rose, and the taller woman next to her, dressed in forest green. Ben noticed the way Rose beamed when she saw Hux, and felt bad once again that the man had to trail him around all evening instead of enjoying the night. Maybe he could make conversation with Rey long enough to give Hux a break. "Hi sweetheart," Hux chuckled, kissing Rose softly and glancing up at Ben. "His Very Honourable Majesty wanted us to come and say hello." Rose dropped into a curtsey easily, well used to accidentally brushing up against royalty when dropping Hux off at work. "Lovely to see you again, Your Highness. How have you been?" "I've been well, thank you, but please you don't need to bother with all that formality," he added hastily, eyes flicking to Rey who had looked panicked at the idea of having to curtsey without preparation. "It's lovely to meet you, Rey, isn't it?" Rey cleared her throat and nodded, trying to figure out how to address him. "Um, yes, Your Highness, I'm Rose's friend, it's an honour to be here." "It's an honour to have you here," Ben replied easily, "And - forgive me, I'm sure you don't want to discuss this all evening, you've probably already been asked this far too many times tonight... I'm surprised to see you here - you've been on a sort of hiatus, I believe?" Rose's eyes sparkled and she turned away to chat with Hux as a pink flush rose on Rey's cheeks. "That's correct, yes. After my last album, I... I needed a break," she explained. Ben smiled a genuine smile, his eyes crinkling. "I can relate to that, certainly. And now it seems you're back in full bloom." Her blush darkened at the compliment. It was wonderfully distracting, and surprisingly easy, Ben thought. Normally he hated small talk, hated the stilted conversations and the polite familial inquiries. Rey was very different. "Would you like a drink? I can fetch you one?" he offered, looking around the ballroom for the nearest waiter. "Surely I should be fetching your drinks, bowing and reciting poetry or something - is that what you do around royalty?" she joked, shifting on her feet and causing Ben's eye to drop down the length of her gown, the skirts shimmering in the light. "Ah, perhaps, but that wouldn't be very gentlemanly of me now would it?" "I'll allow it then - if only to prove that chivalry isn't dead," Rey smirked. Ben bowed dramatically and, with a quick side glance over at Hux, he slipped away to snag some champagne. 

* * *

Once Rey had established that Rose (the beautiful traitor) had vanished, leaving her alone with Hux and his knowing expression, Rey took a deep breath and tucked her phone away, determined not to check it again for the rest of the evening. Her twitter was blowing up, as was Instagram, and she could already picture the headlines about her return to the public eye. They weren't going to be pretty. 

But, and she was proud to admit it, the thought didn't bother her the way it had last year. It would be annoying, sure, but it wouldn't cut her to the bone the way it used to. She had grown, she realised.

And then Ben appeared - Prince Benjamin, her brain helpfully reminded her, heir to the throne of England - holding two delicate champagne flutes and smiling, and her stomach flipped inside her. 

"Here we go," he said, handing it over. She took it carefully, scared to smear the fine glass, and tried not to jump as his fingers brushed hers. 

"Thank you," she smiled, glancing around once more for Rose before turning back to the prince.

"So," he grinned, his expression transformed into something Rey didn't think she'd ever seen in any photograph of him. He looked... relaxed. "Tell me a bit about yourself, Rey? I'd offer my own information except I have a feeling you probably know most of it."

Rey scoffed slightly. "Please! I'd like to think we both know media and journalists don't know anything good or true about anyone famous."

Ben appraised her. "True enough. Fine then, tell me something that no one else knows, or that a Google search of your name wouldn't bring up."

Rey thought for a moment, glancing over his shoulder up towards the elegant chandeliers that lined the ceiling. "I believe in true love, I just don't think I'll find it."

His expression shifted and for a second Rey thought maybe she'd been too literal, maybe she'd overstepped. She did that a lot.

"I'm glad I'm not the only one," Ben admitted, taking a sip of his drink and watching her, his dark eyes intense. "Do you think you won't find it because of the fame, or because of who you are?"

It should've been far too personal of a question, but he didn't seem mocking, or teasing. He was deadly serious.

"Both, I think," she admitted, copying him and gulping some of the bubbly drink for courage. "Fame makes it almost impossible, everything is on display all the time, strangers have an opinion on your decisions, your actions, your life. But also... I don't think I'm easy to love."

The prince raised one eyebrow slowly and it was like the rest of the room melted away. "I think I can understand that. I should believe I'll find it - my parents did, after all, and being princess never stopped my mother from finding something real, but I think the weight of expectation fell heavier on my shoulders than on hers. And I doubt I'm easy to love either. I don't think anyone is, but isn't that the beauty of it?"

Rey smiled slightly. "Deep thoughts, Your Highness."

"Call me Ben," he said quickly, shaking his head. "If we're going to talk this honestly then I don't want to be reminded of who I'm supposed to be tonight."

She nodded, biting her bottom lip thoughtfully. "It's certainly better than awkward comments about the weather. I'd much rather discuss this sort of thing with people, you know?"

"I agree wholeheartedly," he chuckled, watching her. "Continuing the theme, please explain to me something."

"Anything for you, Your Highness," Rey teased.

"Your stage name - Rey Nobody - where did that come from?", he asked, seeming genuinely curious.

She nodded slightly, running her tongue over her bottom lip as she debated how to explain her history. "I was raised in the foster system. I don't have a family, it's just me. My real last name, Johnson, was just given to me at random. So I'm Rey Nobody. I'm proud of that. I did all of this myself, I taught myself to play guitar, I wrote all my own songs, I got myself to where I was, from a nobody to a somebody. I wanted people to know you don't have to start well off to make something of yourself."

That certainly hadn't been the explanation he'd expected, but it made sense with the little he knew of her from tonight. It was poetic, and far more intelligent than the tabloids liked to give her credit for. "I think that's wonderful," he said, hoping he didn't sound patronising. "Last names and families are overrated anyway."

Rey snorted and rolled her eyes. "Wise words from the heir of England."

"I do my best," he joked back, his smile crinkling beautifully, "Now, tell me your thoughts on..." She could feel him casting around for another suitably philosophical topic.

"How about forgiveness and the concept of redemption?" she suggested dramatically.

It earned her a warm laugh and she knew the fizzy feeling it conjured in her stomach wasn't the champagne.

"Perfect. Take it away, Rey," Ben smiled, gesturing to her lazily.

* * *

The seating had been arranged long before the meal, of course, and Rey and Rose were seated on a small circular table in the middle of the banquet hall. From where she was placed, Rey could just see the head table out of the corner of her eye, the King and Queen's silhouettes small next to the dark outline of Ben. Maybe it was her overactive imagination, or maybe it was because she'd barely spoken to anyone new in six months, but she swore she could feel his dark eyes on her throughout the meal.

If the notifications on her phone hadn't scared her, this did. This really _really_ did. She had only just returned from her seclusion. She had sworn off men. She was focussing on herself. And here she was at a _royal ball_ with a stomach full of butterflies whenever a _real life prince_ looked at her a certain way. Rey was fucked. 

Rose chattered easily with the other people at their table, making light conversation and dragging Rey into discussions whenever she could, drawing her out of her shell. The meal was exquisite, every mouthful better than the last and every moment she turned her head and saw the prince, dashing in his sharp suit, the fluttering of her lungs got worse.

"Do you think he'll dance with you after?" Rose asked, leaning over to whisper into Rey's ear. 

Rey blushed and twisted her napkin in her lap. "I didn't come here for that, Rose, you know this."

Rose said nothing, she just returned to her chocolate dessert with a knowing smile on her face.

* * *

He did dance with her after. He asked her for the first dance, and the second, and every one after that. She didn't know the steps but it didn't matter: he let her stand on his spotlessly shiny shoes and placed a broad hand on her bare back as they twirled. As before, the rest of the ball faded into nothing. All she could hear was the faint strains of music and their mindless conversation, his eyes boring into hers and making it impossible to look away.

It felt like a fairy tale; it felt like a song. She wanted to go home and write it all down, set the memories to music and remember it forever. 

"For someone who claims to have never learned to dance, you're doing a pretty good job," Ben chuckled after god knows how long or careful waltzing, feeling the swaying rhythm through the way his body turned. 

"I'm a song writer, I know music even if I haven't been trained from birth to sweep pretty duchesses off their feet," she teased, looking up at him from under her eyelashes. "And I think _maybe_ I went to ballet when I was very little."

She had a few snatched memories of her early childhood, before the orphanages and foster homes. A woman holding her hand, her own little feet in pink slippers, a room of mirrors.

"Ah, well that explains it," he teased back, "You're a natural."

"Bennie, my love?"

A lady's voice just off to the side startled them out of their reverie, and when Rey turned her head, she saw she was face to face with the Queen of England herself. She made a small choking sound and jumped away from Ben into a shaky curtsey, hoping she didn't look too panicked.

Leia just laughed and patted Rey's cheek softly. "Thank you my dear, but don't worry. At least you're more respectful than my boy here."

"Good evening, Mother," Ben snorted, helping Rey stand back up and turning them away from the dancing. "Did you need me for something?"

Leia's grin widened. "I do, actually. Sweetheart, it's nearly the end of the night and we need to do the rounds. Your father has vanished so it'll have to be you, I'm afraid. Sorry to drag you away."

Ben blinked and then glanced down at his watch. "It's - surely it's not that time already?"

Leia covered her smirk well but Rey still noticed it. "Ah, but it is. My apologies again for interrupting, Miss..?"

"Rey Johnson, Your Highness, and no need to apologise, I'm sorry for monopolising your son," she smiled, shaking head and clasping her hands behind her back nervously.

The Queen beamed. "Nonsense, I've loved watching him enjoy himself for once. But, Ben, we must be off! Lots of thank yous and well wishes to give."

Ben looked torn but nodded to his mother. He turned back to Rey and took her hand, kissing it softly. Rey noticed Leia step backwards to talk to another guest, giving them a moment.

"Are you leaving soon? Let me find you afterwards," he murmured.

Rey's heart rate doubled. "No, no, I'm not leaving. I don't even know where Rose is, so I can't go just yet. I'll wait for you?"

Ben's face lightened again and he nodded. "I shan't be long."

And then before she could formulate a reply that was something more than an indistinct croaking sound, he was gone, his mother's hand resting on his forearm as they slipped off through the gradually thinning crowd.

Rey brushed her fingers across the skin of her hand where his lips had just been and tried not to look too flummoxed. How was this real life?

* * *

"Rey, there you are!" Rose said, tugging Hux's hand and weaving through the last few couples to find Rey where she had retreated to, leaning against one of the elaborately carved pillars along the sides of the ballroom. "So sorry! I lost you, and then I saw you dancing so I figured I'd leave you be! Armie switched off with the other team, so we went for a wander and a drink. I hope you didn't feel abandoned!"

Rey laughed, her grip tightening on the glass in her hand as she was dragged from her daydreams: several chords progressions had been wafting through her head after the stint dancing with Ben and she wanted to write them down, or at least record a quick voice note. "I didn't feel abandoned no, even if you seemingly vanished into thin air once the prince introduced himself."

Rose shrugged and grinned impishly. "What can I say? Did you have fun?"

Rey hesitated, but the smile lifting the corners of vermouth gave her away immediately. "I did. He's... lovely."

"I _knew_ it!" Rose cheered, bouncing on her toes and seemingly unimpaired by the high heels she'd been in all night. "I just knew it! Are you about ready to leave then?"

The smile spilled out across her face and Rey shook her head bashfully. "He asked me to wait for him. He had to say goodbyes with the Queen."

Rose froze for a moment and then, seemingly without moving her lips, a high pitched squeal burst forth from her as her eyes widened in glee. "He asked you to _what_?!"

"We were dancing, and he had to go, but we didn't get to say goodbye properly," Rey stammered, quite sure her whole face was as red as a tomato now. "So he asked me to wait for him to come back."

"Hold me, I think I'm going to swoon," Rose breathed. "Okay well you absolutely have to stay then! Me and Armie will head back and you can... have your dalliance with the prince," she said, waggling her eyebrows. 

Rey rolled her eyes and took a large gulp of drink to calm herself down. "Dalliance? Really? I'm not a fifteenth century mistress!"

Unperturbed by Rey's comment, Rose dived into her little purse for her keys, still bouncing on her feet. "Okay, so we'll head off now, text me when you're leaving and call me in the morning, I want to know _everything_!"

"Of course, Rosie," Rey promised, "Now get home and have a nice night yourself."

Rose gave her a swift hug as Hux smirked behind her. "Oh, we will."

Rey was still laughing as Hux wrapped his arm around his wife's shoulders and lead her away.

* * *

Ben eventually managed to slip away when his father returned, and his mother simply winked and let him go. Not wanting to focus too much on what _that_ meant, he concentrated instead on finding Rey. The party was starting to wind down, so it didn't take him long to spot her waiting by one of the columns, empty glass in her hand, her bright eyes sweeping the room, taking it all in.

"You waited," he said quietly as he strode over to her, smiling.

She looked across and her pensive expression softened. "Of course, Your Royal Highness asked me to."

"How are you getting home? May I escort you?"

"I'll probably call a driver, if that's okay? Rose left about ten minutes ago."

Ben nodded. "I'll show you out."

He held his hand out to her and, miracle of all miracles, she took it without question, lacing her fingers through his. His breath caught in his throat. "Let's go," he managed.

* * *

He led her through the palace easily to where guests were leaving, deliberately taking them through private corridors so they couldn't be stopped and made to chat to nameless dignitaries when all he wanted to do was keep her for himself. 

"I think my driver is just around the corner, he's mentioned a fountain?" Rey said, glancing down at the confirmation text on her phone and peering around the small courtyard.

"I know the spot," he promised, tugging her forwards and resting his hand on her back again, the warmth of her smooth skin sending shockwaves up his arm. A lightbulb flashed from beyond the high railings but he ignored it, manoeuvring them around other waiting groups to the dark car, driver's window down, the man waiting for her.

He opened the car door for her easily but stopped her before she got in, hand around her wrist. "I know this is rather presumptuous, but... can I see you again?"

Her face split into the most beautiful smile yet. "I'm technically supposed to be on a break from men. All that good stuff, mental health and self-improvement, you know."

Ben's face fell, but she stopped him quickly, moving her free hand to rest on top of his fingers where they held her other hand. 

"However, I think I can probably make an except for the Prince of England. Divine Right, and all that."

"That's not how Divine Right works in the slightest, but now I understand why Kings always abused their power," Ben breathed. "What's your number?"

* * *


	4. war of words

"We should've been more careful," Ben muttered, closing his eyes and rubbing his nose in frustration.

Rey sipped her coffee and watched him carefully, noting the concern furrowing his strong brow. "We should've been, but we weren't. Too late now."

"I know."

He paused then and sat up, back straight, in the red armchair that had been his spot ever since the first time they'd ended up back in her flat, security hidden outside and the blinds closed as they stumbled to her bedroom. "You don't think I regret this, do you? Or that I'm hiding you?"

The coffee sloshed over the edge of her mug with the speed at which she dumped it onto the table and jumped over to him. "No! Ben, no, that's the furthest from my mind!"

He reached for her and cupped her face, his thumbs brushing across her cheek bones. "I only wish we hadn't been caught because I know the shit you're getting, not because I don't want the whole world to know I care about you."

Rey bit her lip, "It is shit, and it will be me that gets it. I've always known that, and it'll only be worse now."

Ben leaned his forehead against hers gently, and she knelt on the carpet between his knees, resting her hands on the silky fabric of his suit trousers. Increasing the force on her bottom lip, Rey shook her head slightly as she looked up at him.

"What is it?" he asked gently, seeing her face crumple. "Rey, sweetheart, talk to me, what is it?"

Pained, she forced herself to take a deep breath, employing every single therapy trick she could remember to calm her breath, remind herself not to run, not to smash the precious thing she'd cultivated. 

"I'm scared," she whispered, struggling through her panic.

"About the tweets? You know I don't care what they think!" Ben promised, stroking her hair. 

"I _don't_ know that, I've never known that, with anyone not just you. I'm always the one who's cut and run, and I'm terrified that if this keeps up, I'll revert to how I used to be, or you'll figure out I'm not worth it. It's only been three months, and everyone is convinced I'm stringing you along and I'll ruin you, and I'm so sure you'll be convinced too."

"Rey, I mean this in the nicest way possible," Ben said, trying not to smile despite himself. "I'm the Prince of England. Media frenzies and nasty articles and angry tweets will follow me until the day I die. You aren't bringing anything down on me that wouldn't happen with anyone else at all. You are not the problem, sweetheart. You are never the problem. _They_ are."

She made a small wet noise and buried her face in his lap, feeling his arms wrap around her tightly, kissing her hair and neck and murmuring under his breath.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" Ben laughed, "For agreeing to date me even though you decided you were done with men? For making me happy? For letting me take you out and spoil you rotten and make you laugh? That has been nothing short of an honour."

"You're gonna make me cry more, Ben," she whimpered. 

"I never want to make you cry but if that's what it takes to prove to you that a mean comment on a Sun article won't make me give up on you."

She fell silent, not even sure what to say to that. It was several minutes of wiping her eyes and nose, trying not to stain his obscenely expensive trousers, before she sat up and met his eye, locking onto the familiar dark gaze. "Thank you."

His eyes crinkled into a smile, the one only she could tease out of him. "Nothing to thank me for."

Clambering into his lap, Rey kissed him firmly, running her fingers through his tousled hair. "It's only been a few months, and we both know I'm a massive romantic, but I'm not joking when I say I care about you so much. I _haven't_ felt like this before, Ben." "Me neither," he chuckled, kissing her back. "So we can be ridiculous and sentimental and romantic together." Rey's grin widened further. "I'll take that." "Good, because you can't get rid of me that easily."


	5. this time, i'm ready

**SIX MONTHS LATER**

_And I fell from the pedestal_  
_Right down the rabbit hole_  
_Long story short, it was a bad time_  
_Pushed from the precipice_  
_Clung to the nearest lips_  
_Long story short, it was the wrong guy_  


Rey leaned forwards, scribbling out a word on her lyric sheet and replacing it with the new one she'd thought of when running through the tune just now. The strains of music died away as she leaned the guitar up against the sofa and she looked up, seeing Ben slipping into the sitting room of whatever wing of the Palace they were in.

They didn't stay here too often - Ben mostly lived and worked from Kensington Palace, and she had her flat which was their preferred haunt - but Leia and Han (it still felt bizarre to call them that, and not their formal titles that they'd insisted at Christmas that she forgot entirely) liked having them around. The Palace was a big place, and it was just the two of them otherwise. 

She didn't mind too much: there was plenty of time to work on her new album, Ben brought her delicious tea every hour, and read on the velvet armchair opposite her; or they'd walk in the gardens hidden from the rest of the world. It was, and there was no other way to put it, a fairytale. 

"How's it going, sweetheart?" Ben asked, setting down a plates of cakes and biscuits and dropping into his usual spot, pulling his novel from under his arm. 

"It's going well, actually," she grinned, "I'm having fun writing them, which... makes a nice change. Not that the others weren't fun, of course, but this one feels freer somehow."

"I won't pretend to understand your creative genius," he snorted, "But I'm glad you're making progress."

"I have one question," she said, chewing the end of her pencil. "Does 'fell from the pedestal' sound better than 'fell off the pedestal'?"

Ben cocked his head to one side. "I think so. It... flows better?"

"Good, I thought so too but wanted a second opinion," she grinned, humming the refrain under her breath. "This one is about you, after all, so it only makes sense that I get your input."

Ben's grin was blindingly bright. "You wrote a song about me?"

"Several, actually," Rey smiled, tucking her legs up onto the sofa and eyeing him appreciatively. "This is the most obvious though."

"What's it called, or is that a secret?"

She smirked. "I'll let you figure it out when it's released, shall I?"

Ben raised one dark eyebrow. "How mysterious."

Rey simply waggled hers back, and returned to scribbling in her notebook, refusing to answer any more of his questions.

Despite people constantly assuming that her relationship with Ben - wherever it led - would stop her being a singer, stop her working, Rey knew from the very moment she'd been introduced to Han and Leia as Ben's girlfriend, that they had no intentions of limiting her, or Ben, in any way. They'd said it in so many words several times, both to Ben when he'd expressed concerns, and to her when Ben had continued to fret. Leia didn't care: Han hadn't been born rich, or well-bred, Leia had told her plainly, and it didn't matter one jot if Rey wasn't either. She could work if she wanted, and they'd all support her. Rey had cried for a good hour after that conversation, feeling so grateful that she had people who were almost her family.

She couldn't remember the last time she'd felt so secure in a relationship. Not just with Ben, but with his parents too. It was an incredible feeling, and one she had promised herself never to take for granted.

* * *

"I think I've finished," Rey said, her voice trembling as she burst into her bedroom, staring at Ben sprawled across her duvet and scrolling on his phone. 

He lifted his head. "The whole thing?"

"The whole thing," she nodded. "The whole album. It's ready to go."

"Oh my God."

"I know!"

"Oh my _God_ ," Ben repeated.

"I _know_!" Rey grinned, bouncing on the spot, her hair falling out of the haphazard bun that had been in since the morning as she powered through the final touches to her new album.

"No, no, that's not what - I mean, congratulations, I can't believe this, but - I had something to do when you finished and I thought I'd have more time, and now I'm stressed."

Rey frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I didn't think you'd finish this year - no criticism I just know you're perfectionist and, damn, I'm gonna have to - fuck!"

"Ben, woah, talk to me," she laughed, skipping over and leaning up to steal a kiss, "What on earth are you on about?"

Ben flushed bright red and, hands shaking, he pulled a small box out of his pocket. "I'd been planning to do this once you were finished, so you were relaxed and didn't get distracted from your work, but you're finished _now_ and honestly it's just luck I have it on me today, and now I've fucked it all up, and oh my _God_."

"A-are you proposing?" Rey whispered, staring eyes wide as he dropped to one knee, the box in his hands. "Is this what's happening right now?"

"Maybe, but I'm making a right mess of it," he confessed, licking his lips. "I was going to do it properly, prepare a speech, but I haven't even started, you're just too good at writing songs, sweetheart."

She clapped both hands over her mouth as a small strangled voice spilled from her throat. "Yes."

Ben blinked. "I - I haven't actually asked yet."

"Well ask so I can say yes properly, you idiot," she croaked, blinking away her tears.

"Rey, sweetheart, love of my life," he grinned, his nerves seeming to settle and his shoulders drop as she gazed down at him. "I love you. I could go on but I think you'd slap me if I dragged this out. Will you... will you marry me?"

"Yes," she breathed, kissing him desperately. "Yes, yes, yes."

"I know you didn't want me to look through the music just yet, but if you're still deciding which title to use-"

"I am," she admitted, wiping her eyes and brushing his soft waves off his face.

"I quite like 'evermore'," he grinned, eyes crinkled with happiness.

_Past me_  
_I wanna tell you not to get lost in these petty things_  
_Your nemeses will defeat themselves_  
_Before you get the chance to swing_  
_And he's passing by_  
_Rare as the glimmer of a comet in the sky_  
_And he feels like home_  
_If the shoe fits, walk in it_  
_Everywhere you go_  


* * *


	6. all about you

_No more keeping score_  
_Now I just keep you warm_  
_No more tug of war now_  
_I just know there's more_

_No more keeping score_  
_Now I just keep you warm_  
_And my waves meet your shore_  
_Ever and evermore_  



End file.
